Building directory



1969 H. P. VAN OSTRAND 3,419,978 I BUILDING DIRECTORY Sheet Filed Jan. '24, 1966 INVENTOR.

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e E 5 E United States Patent 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A modular wall mountable directory comprising an outer frame and an inner frame, the outer frame is connectable to a wall and includes inwardly facing channels for receiving the ends of indicia carrying means and further including a substantially continuous outer lip extending forward of the channels and defining an open front for the outer frame. The inner frame is adapted for mounting within the open front of the outer frame and holds a plate of transparent material. Means extend inward from the outer lid for releasably securing the inner frame within the outer frame over the indicia carrying means.

The present invention relates to improvements in indicia displaying apparatus and, more particularly, to an improved display apparatus ideally suited to use as a building directory.

In recent years there has been little change in the design and construction of building directories. Generally they include an outer frame connected to a wall and an inner frame stationed within the outer frame. The inner frame carries a plate glass front, a backing plate, and columns of lettered strips captured therebetween. To change, add, or remove lettered strips requires that the inner frame first be removed from the outer frame and that the backing plate be lifted from the inner frame to expose the back of the strips. The lettered strips then may be shifted in position, removed, or replaced, as desired. After making the desired change of lettered strips, the backing plate is replaced and the inner frame again mounted within the outer frame on the wall.

Needless to say, the foregoing operation is time consuming, laborious and requires the directory. serviceman to exercise great care that the glass and directory body are not damaged. This is particularly the case with large directories which generally include several separate columns of lettered strips captured between large backing and glass plates.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved building directory in which indicia carrying members are easily replaceable from the front of the directory without removal of its backing plate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a building directory of the foregoing character which is attractive in appearance, simple in design and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a compact, lightweight building directory which is easily mounted -on the walls of buildings to provide an attractive display of name and room information.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved directory design of the foregoing character which is adaptable to both a compact configuration including a single column of lettered strips, as well as larger configurations of multiple columns of lettered strips and which is adapted to use as either an illuminated and non-illuminated building directory as well as a bulletin board.

The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention, may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken with the drawings which, by way of example only, illustrate a building directory embodying the features of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a building directory including three modular building directory units constructed in accordance with the features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2- 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 3--3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view of the directory illustrated in FIGURE 1 with a central portion removed;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a lettered strip for use in the directory of the present invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional top view of the directory with a central portion removed, illustrating the manner in which lettered strips are inserted into the directory.

In the drawings, the modular building directory is represented generally by the numeral 10, and in FIGURE 1, three such directories are shown mounted on a wall 12 side by side to form a large building directory. Generally speaking, the building directory 10 comprises mounting brackets 14 and 16, an outer frame 18 carrying indicia bearing means 20, and an inner frame 22 carrying a transparent protective plate 24 over the indicia bearing means.

The brackets 14 and 16 are adapted for connection to the Wall 12, and provide top and bottom support for the outer frame 18 with the inner frame 22 releasably secured therein. More particularly, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4, the brackets 14 and 16 are generally L-shaped members, having vertically extending flat plate portions 25 and 26 releasably secured to the wall 12 as by screws 27 and 28, respectively. Relatively short leg portions 30 and 32 extend horizontally from the top and bottom of the plate portions 25 and 26, respectively, with vertically flanged ends 31 and 33 extending into rearwardly facing horizontal top and bottom channels 34 and 36 in the back of the outer frame 18. Thus arranged, the horizontal legs 30 and 32 nest within the channels 34 and 36 and are releasably secured therein by top and bottom set screws 38 and 40 extending through the top and bottom of the channels 34 and 36, respectively. In this manner, the outer frame 18 is releasably secured by the Wall brackets 14 and 16 to the wall 12.

In addition to the rearwardly facing channels 34 and 36, the outer frame 18 includes rear, intermediate and front, substantially continuous, inwardly facing channels 42, 44 and 46, and a substantially continuous outer lip 48 extending forward of the channel 46 to define an open front 50 for the outer frame 18. Preferably, the outer frame 18 is rectangular and is formed of four lightweight metal sides 51, 52, 53 and 54, having the rear, intermediate and front channels formed therein. Also, as illustrated most clearly in FIGURE 3, the ends of the sides are preferably inclined to form miter joints with the ends of adjacent sides. The top and botttom sides 51 and 53 of the outer frame include the rearwardly facing channels 34 and 36. In addition, the right and left sides 52 and 54 of the outer frame also include similar channels such that the rearwardly facing channel is continuous in the outer frame.

Various means may be employed to secure the outer frame together. Preferably, however, such means include four corner braces 60 and a rectangular backing plate 56. Thhe braces 60 are located within the corners of the front channel 46 and resist compression and expansion forces. The plate 56 is formed of a hard, lightweight, rigid material such as masonite, and the four marginal edges thereof are pressed tightly into the rear channel 42 in the sides 51-54 of the outer frame to secure the outer frame together as an integral unit. In addition to providing structural support for the outer frame, the backing plate 56 may act as an indicia bearing means such as a blackboard or bulletin board when the means 20 is removed from the outer frame construction 18. Also, in illuminated forms of the directory 10, the backing plate 56 may be formed of a transparent or translucent material, such as Plexiglas, and a light mounted behind the plate.

With regard to the indicia bearing means 20, preferably they take the form of relatively thin, flexible strips of plastic, having letters embossed or embedded therein, indicating the name and room number associated with the particular name (see FIGURE 5). As illustrated in FIG- URES 2, 4 and 6, the strips 20 are stacked one atop each other with right and left ends stationed in right and left portions of the continuous channel 44 and engaging compressible, resilient means 58 within the channel. The resilient means is preferably foam rubber and provides means for tightly retaining the ends of the lettered strips in place within the channel 44 while allowing the strips to be easily inserted and removed through the open front 50 of the outer frame 18.

The mode of insertion and removal of the strips is most clearly illustrated in FIGURE 6, wherein the left end of a strip 20 is inserted into the channel 44 to compress the foam rubber 58. The strip 20 is then flexed slightly and the right end introduced into the channel 44 and the strip released. The foam rubber then forces the strip tightly into the right portion of the channel 44 against the foam rubber therein. This retains the strip 20 tightly Within the channel 44 yet allows the strip to be easily and quickly removed simply by reversing the foregoing process, sliding the strip to one side to compress the foam rubber while moving an opposite end of the strip out of the channel for removal from the outer frame through the open front 50. Thus, in the present invention, the lettered strips 20 may be rapidly mounted and removed from the front of the directory without removal of the backing plate and without removal of the support for the strips, here being the outer rather than the inner frame as is common in present day directories.

The inner frame 22 somewhat resembles the outer frame 18 in that it is rectangular in shape, includes a substantially continuous, inwardly facing front channel 62, and a substantially continuous rear edge portion 64 extending rearward of the channel 62. Also, the inner frame 22 is formed of four, lightweight metal side members 65, 66, 67 and 68, each including a substantially keyhole-shaped slot 70 in its rearmost side and extending the length thereof. Preferably, the ends of the side members 65-68 are inclined and form miter joints at the junctions of adjacent side members with the slots 70 joining each other. As illustrated most clearly in FIGURE 3, the inner frame 22 is secured together by four vertical corner screws 72 extending through the top and bottom of the side members 65 and 67, into the slots 70. Thus arranged, the inner frame 22 tightly secures marginal edges of the glass plate 24 within the front channel 62 and over the open front of the inner frame.

In the building directory 10, the glass plate 24 provides a protective covering for the indicia bearing means 20 within the outer frame. In this regard, the inner frame 22 is adapted to fit within the open front 50 of the outer frame and to be releasably secured therein with the back side of the rear portion 64 bearing against the front Wall of the intermediate channel 44 (see FIGURES 2 and 4). To releasably secure the inner frame within the outer frame, a pair of pins 74 extend through and vertically from the bottom of the rear portion 64 and fit into the horizontal bottom portion of the channel 46 which acts as a guide for positioning the pins. A set screw 76 extends through the top of the outer frame 18 into the top portion of the channel 46 and bears against the top of the rear portion 64 to secure the inner frame 22 in place within the outer frame. When the inner frame 22 is mounted within the outer frame, a continuous flange 78 extending outwardly from the inner frame conceals the set screw 76, as well as the pin 74 and connecting screws 72 to enhance the streamline appearance of the modular building directory 10.

When the directory 10 is mounted on the wall 12, it is a simple matter to rearrange or replace the lettered strips 20. To do so, the top set screw 76 is loosened and the inner frame 22 lifted from the outer frame, which remains mounted to the wall 12. Then, as previously described, the strips may be individually removed and rearranged within the intermediate channel 44 as desired byreaching through the open front 50 of the outer frame 18, sliding the strips to one side or the other, and slipping them from the channel 44 for replacement or rearrangement within the channel. After the strips have been rearranged in the desired manner, the inner frame is returned to the outer frame and releasably secured therein by positioning the pins 74 within the bottom of the channel 46 and again tightening the top set screw 76.

From the foregoing, it is appreciated that the present invention provides an improved building directory construction which is simple in design, lightweight, easy to manufacture and accordingly relatively inexpensive. In addition, the building directory is easily mounted and removed from building walls, and the lettering strips therein easily changed without requiring removal of the backing plate from the directory construction.

While a particular form of building directory having the foregoing features and advantages has been described in some detail herein, changes and modifications may be made in the illustrated form without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the present invention be limited in scope only by the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A modular, wall-mountable directory, comprising:

an outer frame for connection to a wall and including inwardly facing channels for receiving the ends of means for carrying indicia and further including a substantially continuous outer lip extending forward of said channels and defining an open front of said outer frame, said outer frame comprises separate side sections, said frame includes a substantially continuous inwardly facing second channel rearward of said first mentioned channels;

an inner frame adapted for mounting within said open front of said outer frame and including a substantially continuous inwardly facing channel for receiving and holding a plate of transparent material;

a backing plate with marginal edges tightly secured within said second continuous channel;

and means extending inward from said outer lip for releasably securing said inner frame within said outer frame over the indicia carrying means.

2. The directory of claim 1 wherein:

said inner and outer frames are substantially rectangular and said inner frame comprises four separate side portions with ends defining miter joints;

said inner frame further includes a subsantially continuous lip extending rearward of said plate receiving channel;

and said combination includes screw means extending into said miter joints at said rearward lip to releasably secure said inner frame together.

3. The directory of claim 2 wherein said means for releasably securing said inner frame within said outer frame includes projection means from the bottom of said inner frame into a recess in the bottom of said outer frame and a set screw passing through the upper lip of said outer frame and bearing against a top of said inner frame.

4. The directory of claim 1 including support means for releasably connecting said outer frame to a wall; and said support means including support bracket means connected to said wall and including a forwardly extending arm; means defining a rearwardly facing channel extending from the back of said outer frame and receiving said arm; and means for releasably securing said arm within said rearwardly facing channel.

5. The structure recited in claim 1 including indicia carrying means comprising a plurality of strips extending between right and left sides of said outer frame with ends within said channels in said outer frame, said strip stacked in side by side relationship with at least a plurality of said strips, said strips releasably held by said channels.

6. The structure recited in claim 5 wherein said means for releasably securing said inner within said outer frame includes projection means at one end of the directory extending between said inner frame and said outer frame into a recess in one of said frames and a releasable fastening means at the other end of said directory extending from said outer frame to said inner frame and bearing thereagainst.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1921 Ott et a1 40152 2/ 1926 Akins 40-63 5/ 1931 Hollenbeck 40152 10/1931 Rider 40-63 12/1931 Rider 40-63 8/ 1934 Sommers 40-63 1/1962 Kowalski 40-152 5/ 1967 Bartley 248-224 FOREIGN PATENTS 11/ 1927 Great Britain.

US. Cl. X.R. 

